Ultimate Luxury: 10 Favorite Fountains and Garden Water Features

I confess: as I saved photos for this story over the last several weeks, I stored them in a folder called “Not-Ugly Water Features.” Because, well, many garden water features are overly ornate. Or are fake-y replicas of nature scenes. Or involve water peeing from a faux-stone boy.

But who doesn’t love the sound of babbling water in the garden, and who isn’t transfixed by a pool or fountain? A water feature is an indicator of a garden that’s “made it”–and when done right, feels like the ultimate outdoor luxury. Here are ten we like, many from members of the Remodelista + Gardenista Architect/Designer Directory:

Above: In an Los Angeles garden, a fountain is a ready made piece from Inner Gardens that designer Naomi Sanders helped the client select. The infrastructure and pump are hidden below. “It appears in the space as if the bowl is floating within the gravel,” says Sanders. “There’s a slight bubble to it, on the surface, but it’s more for the sound.” For more of this garden, see LA Confidential: A Private Courtyard Goes Luxe on a Budget.

Above: An ornate backyard fountain in Los Angeles is integrated into a modern surrounding landscape with new concrete pavers that connect it to a patio. Photograph by Jennifer Roper. For more of this garden, see Before & After: A Grande Dame in LA’s Hancock Park.